Man Seen In Clown Outfit Charged With Menacing After Claim He Pulled Knife At Subway Station
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A children's entertainer was charged with menacing Thursday night, on allegations that he pulled a knife on a subway rider.
But the clown performer earlier said he has been falsely accused.
A 16-year-old boy told police he was trying to exit the train at the 96th Street No. 6 Train station on Wednesday, Oct. 5 when the man blocked him. The boy pushed past the man, but when he turned around he saw the man holding what appeared to be a large kitchen knife. police said.
The teen ran up the stairs, left the station and went to a hospital to report the incident, police said.
After police released a surveillance image, clown performer Tom Smith contacted CBS2. On Thursday night, only CBS2's cameras were there as Smith entered an Upper East Side police precinct.
Smith claimed he had been falsely accused because of the nationwide creepy clown concern.
"I'm just going to make a brief statement," Smith said. "I do want to go in and straighten this out."
Smith was charged late Thursday with third-degree criminal menacing and was released on a desk appearance ticket, police said.
